Transmission of multimedia messages between mobile station terminals

ABSTRACT

A method and a system for transmitting messages containing multimedia information or content that enables transmission and communication of multimedia messages between subscribers connected to telecommunication systems of different system operators. The inventive system includes a first mobile station terminal from which a multimedia message is sent, a second mobile station terminal that is the intended recipient of the multimedia message, a digital mobile network, a first multimedia message server for receiving a multimedia message from the first mobile station terminal, a first address database associated with the first multimedia message server, a second multimedia message server for receiving the multimedia message from the first multimedia message server, an IP network for carrying communications between the first and second multimedia message servers, and a second address database associated with the second multimedia message server.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of PCT/F100/00969 filed Nov. 6,2000.More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissue ofU.S. Pat. No. 6,718,168. The present application is a reissueapplication of U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,168, which is a Continuation ofPCT/FI00/00969 filed Nov. 6, 2000, which claims priority to FinlandPatent Application Number 19992399, filed Nov. 5, 1999. U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/603,355, now Re. 41,490, filed on Nov. 20, 2006,is a continuation reissue application of the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to telecommunications. Inparticular, the invention is directed to methods and apparatus fortransmitting messages containing multimedia information or contentbetween mobile station communication terminals.

2. Description of Related Art

The use of short messages for effecting communication between mobilestations of wireless telecommunication networks has become extremelycommon among wireless network subscribers over the past several years.Each such short message can have a maximum length of up to 160characters. The transmission of short messages does not require that themobile station be switched on since, if the mobile station cannot bereached at the time that the short message is sent, the message is savedto the short message service centre. The short message service centreretains the saved message for a period of several days and, when themobile station to which the message has been directed is activatedwithin the access range of the mobile network, the saved message is thentransmitted to the activated mobile station. Such short messages may betransmitted either within the range or boundaries of the same cell or toother cells by means of the standard roaming features of mobilestations. Today these short messages are most typically, although notexclusively, transmitted in GSM (i.e. Global System for MobileCommunications) networks.

As is known, short messages may currently only be used for sendingtext-form, i.e. plaintext, messages. By virtue of the rapid developmentof technology, however, consumers will in the near future demand and beoffered the ability to send and receive multimedia short messagesconsisting of a variety of different media components. But multimediamessages have not heretofore been standardized in any effective manner,so that whatever solutions are offered are likely to be operator and/ordevice-manufacturer specific. This will either in effect prevent thetransmission of multimedia messages between the mobile stations of orserviced or supported by different system operators or manufacturers, oralternatively require the use of difficult and expensive implementationsto enable such transmissions.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly the desideratum of the present invention to providemethods and apparatus that eliminate, or at least significantlyalleviate, the difficulties and drawbacks of the prior art, includingthose described hereinabove.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a method and asystem that enable the ready transmission of messages containingmultimedia information or content between different telecommunicationsystem operators or providers.

Broadly described, in the present invention a multimedia message iscreated and transmitted in a telecommunication network. The createdmultimedia message is sent from the first mobile station terminal, thesent message from the first terminal is further transmitted onwardtoward its ultimate destination (such as a second mobile stationterminal), a notification informing of the multimedia message that hasbeen sent is transmitted to the intended recipient second mobile stationterminal, and the multimedia message is retrieved by and onto the secondmobile station terminal device. As used herein, the term “multimediamessage” is intended to denote a message which advantageously consistsof or includes a plurality of different media components or content,such as an image, voice, text and/or graphics.

More particularly, and in accordance with the invention, a multimediamessage addressed to an intended recipient is sent from the first mobilestation terminal of the initiating sender to a first multimedia messageserver (with which the first mobile station is at least then associated)using the mobile communication network. The sent multimedia message isreceived by and saved on the first multimedia message server in themailbox of the sender. If necessary, address information of a secondmultimedia message server (with which the second mobile station terminalof the intended recipient is associated) is located or identified usinga first address database associated with or accessible by the firstmultimedia message server. An e-mail message based on the savedmultimedia message is then created, and the created e-mail message istransmitted from the first multimedia message server to the secondmultimedia message server using an IP (Internet Protocol) network. Amultimedia message based on the received e-mail message is then createdusing the second multimedia message server and is saved on the secondmultimedia message server in the mailbox of the intended second mobileterminal recipient; if necessary, the address of the second terminaldevice can be located or identified using a second address databaseassociated with or accessible by the second multimedia message server. Anotification informing the intended recipient of the multimedia messagethat has been stored by the second multimedia message server is thensent from the second multimedia message server to the second terminaldevice using the mobile communication network. If necessary—such aswhere the intended recipient of them message has no mailbox on thesecond multimedia message server—the multimedia message may be createdor stored in a mailbox of its own on the second multimedia messageserver. Multimedia message servers may be implemented as separate units,or integrated with already-existing network components, as for exampleshort message servers. The invention may be applied, by way ofillustration, to a digital mobile network such as a GSM network, and theIP network may for example be any telecommunication network thatutilizes or supports the IP protocol, such as the public Internetnetwork.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the e-mail message based onthe multimedia message content may be created by coding the multimediamessage content into an e-mail message in MIME format, as for example sothat the text portion of the content serves as the plaintext messagebody and other portions of the multimedia message content are sent asone or more attachments to the text portion. MIME (Multipurpose InternetMail Extensions) format, as is well known, permits the combining andtransmission of attachments to typically text-based e-mail messages.

In some embodiments of the invention, information that correlates theDNS (Domain Name Server) addresses and MSISDN (Mobile Subscriber ISDN)numbers of multimedia message servers of the network(s) is maintained inthe first address database.

Similarly, information that correlates the MSISDN numbers and e-mailaddresses of subscribers associated with or served by the secondmultimedia message server may be maintained in the second addressdatabase.

It is also contemplated that, in some embodiments of the invention, themultimedia message may be sent from the originating first mobile stationterminal using a browser-type user interface that is incorporated oraccessible in the terminal device of the initiating or sendingsubscriber. Such a browser-type user interface may advantageously beenimplemented using WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) technology.

The multimedia message may similarly be retrieved on the second mobilestation terminal of the destination or receiving subscriber using abrowser-type user interface incorporated or accessible in the secondterminal device. This browser-type user interface may likewise beadvantageously implemented using WAP technology.

In some embodiments of the invention, the e-mail to be transmitted isfirst encrypted, for which purpose any suitable encrypting device orapplication, and any convenient encryption scheme such as the well-knownPGP (Pretty Good Privacy) system, may be used. The e-mail message mayalso be transmitted using SMTP (Simple Message Transfer Protocol).

It is further contemplated that, in some embodiments, a billing ticketbased on the multimedia message may be generated.

As compared with prior art methods and systems, the present inventionrenders it advantageously possible to send multimedia messages betweenthe systems and mobile stations and subscribers of differenttelecommunication system operators. Since the invention utilizesexisting, well-known and widely-available e-mail practices, it isparticularly easy to implement and to expand its use throughout andamong telecommunication systems. Moreover, the inventive methods andapparatus can utilize the public Internet and thus do not require thedesign or construction of dedicated connections between the multiplemultimedia message servers. The optional use of encryption furtherassures that information security is not endangered.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that thedrawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as adefinition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should bemade to the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a system constructed and arrangedfor the transmission of multimedia messages in accordance with thepresent invention; and

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method for the transmission of multimediamessages in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting, by way of example, the componentsof an illustrative system configured in accordance with the presentinvention. As seen in FIG. 1, the system comprises an originating firstmobile station terminal MSA from which the multimedia message is sent,an intended recipient second mobile station terminal MSB to which themultimedia message is directed and by which it is ultimately received,and a digital mobile network GSM. The inventive system further includesa first multimedia message server SMSCA operable for receiving andsaving the multimedia message from the first mobile station terminalMSA, for transforming the received message into an e-mail message, andfor sending the transformed e-mail message to a second multimediamessage server SMSCB; a first address database DBA for maintainingaddress information for the multimedia message servers and which isarranged as a part of, or for association with or access by or otherwisein conjunction with the first multimedia message server SMSCA; anInternet Protocol network IP for transmitting the e-mail message fromthe first multimedia message server SMSCA to a second multimedia messageserver SMSCB; the second multimedia message server SMSCB fortransforming (or re-transforming) the e-mail message received from thefirst multimedia message server SMSCA into a multimedia message, forsaving the transformed multimedia message and for sending a notificationof receipt to the second terminal device MSB of the multimedia messagethat it has received and stored for eventual transmission to the secondterminal device MSB; and a second address database DBB for maintainingaddress information for mobile subscribers associated with the secondmultimedia message server SMSCB and arranged as a part of, or forassociation with or access by or otherwise in conjunction with thesecond multimedia message server SMSCB. In addition, the FIG. 1 systemof the invention comprises a coder MIME for encoding the multimediamessage into an e-mail message in MIME format, and an encrypter orencrypting device or application PGP for encrypting the e-mail messageto be transmitted by the first multimedia message server SMSCA to thesecond multimedia message server SMSCB. The first mobile stationterminal MSA may include a browser-type user interface WAPA, and thesecond mobile station terminal MSB may similarly include a browser-typeuser interface WAPB.

The flow chart of FIG. 2 depicts, by way of example, a method inaccordance with the present invention for sending a multimedia shortmessage between two different telecommunication systems operators via anIP network. Initially, the user of the originating first mobile stationterminal writes or creates a short message (block 21), and the shortmessage is transmitted from the first mobile station terminal to thefirst short message service centre or server (block 22). In the shortmessage service centre, the short message is temporarily saved to themailbox of the sender (block 23), and a billing ticket is sent to thedatabase (block 24). The destination address of the short message mayfor example be of the form +358400123456@mmm.operator.com. and, based onthe designated country code and operator code, i.e. +358400 in thisexample, the e-mail server of the intended recipient is identified(block 25). To identify or correlate the country code, operator code andaddress of the e-mail server, a database is maintained in or otherwiseassociated with or accessible by the first short message service centre.The message is transmitted via the IP network to the server of (i.e.associated with) the intended recipient (block 26). During the period ofthe data transfer, multimedia information in the message is coded by amultipurpose Internet mail extension (i.e. MIME) and, to effect thetransfer, a simple message transfer protocol (i.e. STMP) is employed.The specified destination address of the message is further examined atthe receiving server, which is itself provided or associated with adatabase by which the specified address (+358400123456@mmm.operator.com)of the message can be transformed into an e-mail message address formatidentifying the intended recipient, such asFirstName.FamilyName@mmm.operator.com (block 27). The message is thensaved to the electronic mailbox of the recipient (block 28); if howeverthere is no electronic mailbox for the recipient, then a new electronicmailbox is created. A billing ticket, based on the message that istransmitted to the server that sent the message, is created (block 29),and the intended recipient of the message is then sent the entiremessage or a part of the message (block 210). The message transmissiontype is selected based on the available features of the terminal deviceof the recipient and the network.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamentalnovel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodimentsthereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutionsand changes in the form and details of the methods described and devicesillustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, itis expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/ormethod steps which perform substantially the same function insubstantially the same way to achieve the same result are within thescope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized thatstructures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described inconnection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may beincorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form orembodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention,therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of transmitting a multimedia messagefrom a first mobile station terminal of a sender to a second mobilestation terminal of an intended recipient of the multimedia message,comprising the steps of: transmitting the multimedia message from thefirst mobile station terminal to a first multimedia message server thatreceives the multimedia message from the first mobile station terminalvia a mobile telecommunication network; saving the received multimediamessage on the first multimedia message server in a mailbox of thesender; identifying, from the received multimedia message, addressinformation of a second multimedia message server, optionally byutilizing a first database associated with the first multimedia messageserver; creating, at the first multimedia message server, an e-mailmessage based on the received multimedia message; transmitting thecreated e-mail message from the first multimedia message server to thesecond multimedia message server for receipt by the second multimediamessage server; creating a new multimedia message based on the e-mailmessage received by the second multimedia message server; saving thecreated new multimedia message on the second multimedia message serverin a mailbox of the recipient; identifying, at the second multimediamessage server, address information of the second mobile stationterminal, optionally by utilizing a second database associated with thesecond multimedia message server; and sending, from the secondmultimedia message server to the second mobile station terminal via themobile communication network, a notification of the new multimediamessage that has been saved by the second multimedia message server. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating an e-mail messagefurther comprises creating an e-mail message based on the multimediamessage by coding the multimedia message into an e-mail message in MIMEformat.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first database comprises afirst address database containing information correlating DNS addressesand MSISDN numbers of the first and second multimedia message servers.4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second database comprises a secondaddress database correlating MSISDN numbers and e-mail addresses ofmobile subscribers associated with the second multimedia message server.5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting themultimedia message from the first mobile station terminal furthercomprises transmitting the multimedia message using a browser-typeinterface in the first mobile station terminal.
 6. The method of claim1, further comprising the step of retrieving the new multimedia messagefrom the second multimedia message server onto the second mobile stationterminal using a browser-type user interface in the second mobilestation terminal.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the stepof encrypting the created e-mail message to be transmitted to the secondmultimedia message server.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said stepof transmitting the created e-mail message from the first multimediamessage server to the second multimedia message server further comprisestransmitting the created e-mail message using SMTP protocol.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a billingticket based on the multimedia message.
 10. A system for transmitting amultimedia message in a telecommunication network from a first mobilestation terminal of a sender to a second mobile station terminal of anintended recipient of the multimedia message, said system comprising: asecond multimedia message server; a first multimedia message serveroperable for receiving the multimedia message from the first mobilestation terminal, for saving the received multimedia message, fortransforming the received multimedia message into an e-mail message andfor sending the e-mail message to the second multimedia message server;a first address database associated with the first multimedia messageserver for maintaining address information of plural multimedia messageservers of the telecommunication network; an IP network for transmittingthe e-mail message from the first multimedia message server to thesecond multimedia message server; said second multimedia message serverbeing operable for receiving the e-mail message from the firstmultimedia message server, for transforming the received e-mail messageinto a new multimedia message, for saving the new multimedia message andfor sending to the second mobile station terminal a notification of thesaved new multimedia message; and a second address database associatedwith the second multimedia message server for maintaining addressinformation of subscribers associated with the second multimedia messageserver.
 11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a coder forcoding the received multimedia message into MIME format.
 12. The systemof claim 10, wherein the first address database contains informationcorrelating DNS addresses and MSISDN numbers of the plural multimediamessage severs.
 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second addressdatabase contains information correlating MSISDN numbers and e-mailaddresses of subscribers associated with the second multimedia messageserver.
 14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first mobile stationterminal includes a browser-type user interface.
 15. The system of claim10, wherein the second mobile station terminal includes a browser-typeuser interface.
 16. The system of claim 10, further comprising anencrypter for encrypting the e-mail message to be sent from the firstmultimedia message server to the second multimedia message server.
 17. Amethod comprising: receiving an e-mail message at a first multimediamessage server associated with a first mobile operator, wherein thee-mail message includes content corresponding to a multimedia messagesent from a mobile station associated with a second mobile operator anddestined for a recipient mobile station associated with the first mobileoperator; converting the received e-mail message into a multimediamessage for delivery to the recipient mobile station; and sending anotification of receipt of the multimedia message to the recipientmobile station.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprisingtransmitting the multimedia message to the recipient mobile stationbased on available features of the recipient mobile station.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, further comprising receiving the e-mail message froma second multimedia message server not associated with the first mobileoperator.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the received e-mailmessage is received over a network interface using Simple MessageTransfer protocol (SMTP) and Internet Protocol.
 21. The method of claim17, wherein the received e-mail message comprises a MultipurposeInternet Mail Extensions (MIME) formatted message including at least oneattachment containing multimedia content.
 22. A system comprising: amultimedia message server of a first mobile operator configured toreceive an e-mail message, wherein the e-mail message includes contentcorresponding to a multimedia message sent from a mobile stationassociated with a second mobile operator and destined for a recipientmobile station associated with the first mobile operator; the multimediamessage server further configured to convert the e-mail message into themultimedia message for delivery to the recipient mobile station; and themultimedia message server further configured to send a notification ofreceipt of the multimedia message to the recipient mobile station. 23.The system of claim 22, wherein the multimedia message server is furtherconfigured to transmit the multimedia message to the recipient mobilestation based on available features of the recipient mobile station. 24.The system of claim 22, wherein the multimedia message server is furtherconfigured to receive the e-mail message using a Simple Message Transferprotocol (SMTP) and Internet Protocol.
 25. The system of claim 22,wherein the e-mail message includes a Multipurpose Internet MailExtensions (MIME) formatted message.
 26. The system of claim 22, whereinthe multimedia message server is further configured to receive e-mailmessages generated from associated multimedia messages from a serverthat is not associated with the first mobile operator.
 27. A systemcomprising: a multimedia message server of a mobile operator configuredto receive multimedia messages from mobile stations associated with themobile operator and send notifications and multimedia messages to themobile stations associated with the mobile operator; the multimediamessage server further configured to convert multimedia messages toe-mail messages when a destination address of a multimedia message isnot associated with a mobile station associated with the mobileoperator, to receive e-mail messages representing multimedia messagesfrom mobile stations not associated with the mobile operator, and toconvert the received e-mail messages into multimedia messages; and themultimedia message server further configured to transmit convertede-mail messages to a first predetermined server over an InternetProtocol (IP) network and to receive e-mail messages representingmultimedia messages from a second predetermined server over the IPnetwork.
 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first and secondpredetermined servers are a same server.
 29. The system of claim 27,further comprising a database configured to store mobile station addressinformation associated with the mobile operator.